Rule #1: Right your Wrongs

I know, that’s some heavy stuff! None of us like to think about our mistakes. A messy break-up, a mean joke, ditching your friends when you made plans, not paying back a friend when you said you would – there are all kinds of wrongs we make, big and small. Learn and move on, right? It’s done!

Well before you accept that, ask yourself this… Did you make a conscious effort to make that mistake right? Did you apologize? Or did you just make excuses for why you acted that way, or sweep the mistake under the rug and assume that it wasn’t really a big deal? I’ve got news for you, gents. If you want to be a good guy, then you have a responsibility to do what you can to make your mistakes right. Not only that, psychology has shown that apologizing is good for your mental health!

Now I’m not being naïve here. There are some people who won’t accept your apology (depending on the mistake), and asking for an apology doesn’t immediately erase the effects of your errors. But it DOES mean you did the right thing. I’m no saint. It’s scary to talk open and candidly about your mistakes. I’ve made more than I can count, and wish I could take every one back and right every wrong. I can’t begin to calculate how many apologies I’ve had to make. And they aren’t always received well! But the closest I can get to righting every wrong is by apologizing for the mistakes I HAVE made, and make sure I don’t make them again. There are also steps you can take when those apologies aren’t accepted! So let’s challenge each other to do that, guys. Apologizing isn’t feminine, and it isn’t girly. It’s classy!

P.S. Even celebrities apologize! Here are some famous examples